The Gambia Press Union (GPU) has called for stronger protection of journalists and greater accountability for attacks against media workers as the country prepares for the December 5 presidential election.
GPU president Isatou Keita said intimidation, harassment and physical assaults remained serious concerns for journalists, warning that a failure to hold perpetrators accountable could undermine press freedom and the public’s right to information.
Speaking to the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) on Thursday, Keita outlined the union’s efforts to prevent attacks during the electoral period. These include renewed engagement with political parties, security agencies and state prosecutors to improve cooperation and ensure journalists can carry out their work without fear.
She said journalists play a vital role in the democratic process by keeping citizens informed, scrutinising those in power and providing voters with the information they need to make decisions at the ballot box.
However, she noted that journalists often face hostility while carrying out these duties, including from political party supporters, security personnel and public officials. Restrictions on access to information and online abuse also pose challenges, she added.
Keita expressed concern that complaints about attacks on journalists frequently fail to result in meaningful action, allowing a culture of impunity to persist.
“And most of the time, when they are attacked, harassed, or assaulted, what we do is come out and condemn or even take the matter to the police to follow up. But most of the time, nobody is held accountable,” she said.
She also highlighted the growing problem of online harassment, particularly from people who object to critical reporting or expect journalists to present them favourably.
Keita stressed that journalism must serve the public interest rather than the political interests of individuals or parties. She said the GPU was increasingly focusing on preventing attacks before they occur instead of relying solely on condemnations after incidents have taken place.
The union’s approach draws partly on lessons from the 2021 presidential election. Keita recalled that an assessment conducted ahead of that vote documented incidents of intimidation and attacks against journalists.
Among the cases she cited were the assault of journalist Kebba Jeffang by political party supporters during a rally and difficulties faced by journalist Kifa Barham while covering protests.
After those events, the GPU contacted political parties through the Inter-Party Committee, requesting commitments to respect journalists and their work.
According to Keita, the engagement yielded positive results, with no attacks or assaults against journalists reported in the period immediately before, during or after the 2021 presidential election.
The union is now pursuing similar discussions ahead of the December polls, hoping to secure greater respect for journalists from party leaders, campaign teams and supporters.
The GPU has also met with police officials and state prosecutors to raise concerns about cases in which complaints filed by journalists have not led to meaningful outcomes. Keita said the union presented documented cases during these engagements in an effort to improve cooperation and strengthen accountability.
She identified the candidate nomination period, campaign rallies and election day as particularly sensitive moments when tensions can arise between journalists and other stakeholders.
Disputes can arise between media workers and security during nominations or between journalists and party backers during campaign events. To address these risks, the GPU recently brought journalists, political representatives and security officials together to discuss their respective roles and ways to prevent confrontations.
Keita said journalists and security officers have different responsibilities but share a duty to serve the public. While the police are responsible for protecting people and property, she argued, journalists must be allowed to gather information and report events without unnecessary interference.
She urged political parties, security agencies and other stakeholders to recognise that protecting journalists is essential to both press freedom and the peaceful conduct of elections.
“If it is peaceful, it is not the journalist that wins. It is not the police officer that wins. It is The Gambia that wins at the end of the day,” she said.
With the presidential election approaching, the GPU is seeking to strengthen preventive measures and improve the response to attacks against media workers. The union’s position is that journalists must be able to report freely and safely if voters are to receive reliable information and political leaders are to be held accountable.
